Fotga DP500-2 Follow Focus & Rails Reviewed

In the below video I review the Fotga DP500II Follow Focus and 15mm Rail Rod Support System. Follow focuses are very expensive but this one at $150 is loaded with features at an affordable price. When you don’t need anything else but your camera and a way to pull focus racks, these two make a great pair.

Damian Dodd

The DP500-2 is the newer versions of these rails and FF. Looks like online they have the FF at $158. The rails, QR riser, and lens support I show is also the DP500-2 but it seems to be out at A’zon. The DP500 is there for $70 but that’s what I initially bought and found the replacement Quick Release piece for $30. Looks like they sell a combo of both FF and Rail System for $250. I like these they are priced well for what you get.

agus telo

Damian Dodd

@agus telo I’m not going to buy that for a proper review, but it seems decent for the price. Quick release is useful. The Fotga has settable hard stops which is nice when filming solo though they do make an audible clink sound when it hits. That eBay one you mark with a marker and have to watch when to stop.

muddyknees

Damian Dodd

I got it on Amazon, you can do a search for FOTGA DP500 II Quick release base plate, but it’s $47. (More than I paid.) Looks like Amazon has the DP500ii rails with that quick release back in stock, and it’s $67. (Less than I paid.) Just search Amazon for DP500ii

halffulltome

I ordered that one with the quick release plate on Amazon. It came today and it was NOT the quick release version. I have a message in with the seller and they better respond that they’re sending the correct one, or I’d be ok if they just sent the QR attachment.

philipalexand3r

RSBSTEADICAM

Dude, it’s not a “lens holder” it’s a lens “support.” Does the QR has a lock to prevent it from losing your camera? Can the placement of the QR plate affects the CG? These “guys” are rail locks. It’s not the “focal length” it’s a “stop” or the end of focal travel. There not “tightening rods” they are “hard stops” or the chief reason for a follow focus. Basically you’re doing a review without the faintest idea of what you’re talking about or the reason for having the device in the first place

Damian Dodd

Damian Dodd

Yeah that’s what happened to me. Amazon/The Seller had it mislabeled as the quick release version. It’s $65 for the DP500 without QR and $130 for the DP500II with QR. But search Amazon for Fotga DP500II Quick Release and it’s sold for $47. So you actually save $13 by adding the QR plate to the DP500, if shipping’s free.

Damian Dodd

TheLimbReaper

Here’s the big question of the day. Now that I watch this again, I noticed the rubber ring fits “closer”. Doesn’t the difference in diameter [between the 2 different style of rings] affect rotation speed, as the difference in diameter, of sprockets on a bike? The first, larger diameter ring, would be a slower focus wouldn’t it? I have a Sony NEX-VG20 and want to make some type of FF rig for it, so I’m shopping options here.

Damian Dodd

@TheLimbReaper Well if the gear is larger it will turn slower, but in this case probably not by much. I poked around google. Some said the larger ring introduced some slip and chatter. But sounds like they didn’t have it on well. Someone else said the “zip tie” gears made it harder for the FF to reach the gears when a battery grip was on. But the zip ties, once cut to fit the lens, do fit more snug and offer easier lens storage with them on. And they’re quicker to put on. I like them both.

halffulltome

The seller offered a refund of $10 to keep it (making it $59 inc shipping), so I took the $10 and bought the QR on eBay for just under $40, so I came in less than $100 total. Not bad, but not as good as the $69 QR rail system they purported to sell. BTW I’m happy with the system and the DP500II follow focus is better than I expected. Works great.

halffulltome

First of all, he said “focal points” not “focal length”.
You said, “prevent it from losing your camera” Losing your camera? So you’re asking if the QR lock will keep track of your camera so it doesn’t wonder off and get lost?
*have
*they’re
Basically you’re making a comment in English without the faintest idea of how to use the language.

cubul32

Damian Dodd

@cubul32 Hello! No play, very solid FF and rails. I have used it only about a dozen times, so I can’t attest to daily use over a long period. But everything feels well constructed… I believe this is a solid combo for the money.

cubul32

You didn’t try by any chance their DP500 matte box, did you? Talking about the aluminum two fixed stages one. I’ve been looking for reviews – almost non existent. The product is scarce too – the matte.

Hillsidesanctuary

Damian Dodd

@Hillsidesanctuary I haven’t seen full rigs that Fotga makes, but you can add to this rail system front handles, some kind of cage or C shaped piece with 1/4 20 mounts on it. A 4 hole bar, to that a shoulder pad and weight. That’s the fun of this stuff.

Greg Allen

Damian Dodd

@Greg Allen Well I don’t own the Kamerar so I can’t truly compare the feel of the two. The Quick release of the Kamerar is nice. The Fotga has the movable hard stops. I guess the Kamerar’s white ring removes so you can load several with different scenes marked focus? They both seem about the same quality otherwise.

Rico M

TJH3113

JONvincible

Thanks for posting this. I stumbled across this follow focus while searching YouTube, and I almost can’t believe the features you get with this one for the price. The hard stops look awesome, and the build quality (at least from videos) looks top notch as well.

JJ Sadler

Zakos

slidetek

I’ve enjoyed all of your videos, thanks! You’ve pointed out a lot of good (and bad) things for me. It’s nice when somebody else makes the mistakes for me! I picked up this FF, and it’s mind blowingly well built. I picked it over the Kamerar, and glad I did. This has better internals (now I’ve had a chance to compare), and the single post of the Kamerar tends to torque ever so slightly causing uneven contact. This FF begs to be touched!Completely comparable to some FF’s costing a heck of a lot more. I got the one without the Arca plate, and added a Manfrotto QR plate instead. It’s slightly different, and has a lens support in the front – which is pretty useless as I use the collar to mount large lenses. I also got the larger lens gear wheel, which makes the movement even finer – highly recommended. Keep up the great vids!

Boa Thor

Gert Hellevig

I got the DP500-2. It does not work with practically any of my 15 lenses 🙁 When I turn the main wheel on the DP500, the attached lens’ focus ring does not turn, or if, a little but incorrectly, and after each focus, less so. There is some mechanism inside the DP500 that disconnects the wheel you turn with the hand from the ring connected to the lens. When no lens is connected, it looks like working “as planned”, It is about friction, but my lenses are high quality, and the focus rings, in most cases, is quite smooth. I cannot find any way of adjusting the “counter strength” on the DP500, nor can I find service provider (in Russia, Saint Petersburg). Does anybody know about this kind of problem? How to solve it? Cheers – gert

Edan Cohen

Jim Hancock

This is a fine follow focus, for any price…. makes it very hard for American made to compete, but $500 plus is absurd for a follow focus…. I have a couple of these and they are heavy and well made… Now Damain, are you loaded? I noticed the beer in the shot…. why would you demonstrate the focus with the rings untightened? Would you demo a car with loose lug nuts… yeah, try staying sober for your videos… 🙂

mentalmetal1

Briona Kzinowek

randall paul

That thing is noisy as hell Damian Nice idea and good review I was looking for a B roll rig compatible with our lamparte which is very expensive. But the machining is amazing and all silent operating. .